Human Warriors: Into the Wild
by VioletBlackxo
Summary: Into the Wild rewritten if the cats were humans in the Middle Ages. :)
1. Prologue

(A/N: Hi guys! This is my first fanfiction that I'm publishing and I'm really excited to share it with you all! Basically, I'm rewriting The Prophecies Begin as if the cats were humans living in the Middle Ages. Let me know what you guys think of it!)

The air was silent. The only sound that could be heard was a ripple of water from the murky waters of the river and the sounds of the forest at night. A half-moon hung in the sky, turning the rocks that divided ThunderClan and RiverClan's kingdoms silver.

There was a rustle in the darkness as warriors from ThunderClan crept out of the undergrowth they were hiding in. The warriors unsheathed their swords as they prepared to meet any enemies. A warrior's sword glinted in the moonlight. And suddenly, without even a warning, a battle unfolded on the rocks.

At the center of the battlefield, a massive man with dark brown hair pinned another man to the forest floor, his knife aimed at the other man's throat. The man with dark brown hair drew his head up in triumph. "Oakheart!" He snarled, readjusting his grip on his knife. "How dare you hunt in our territory! The Sunningrocks belong to ThunderClan!"

Oakheart snickered despite his current situation. "After tonight, Tigerclaw, this will just be another RiverClan hunting ground." A battle cry came from the other side of the river as more RiverClan warriors entered the battle. Tigerclaw turned to see enemy warriors sliding out of the water and attacking members of his own clan. He refocused his attention on Oakheart. "You may swim like fish, but you and your warriors do not belong here!" He aimed his knife directly at Oakheart's throat.

The desperate scream of a ThunderClan woman distracted Tigerclaw from murdering his opponent. A thin RiverClan warrior had pinned Mousefur, a young warrior down. Tigerclaw let go of Oakheart and ran to aid his clanmate. He heroically knocked the enemy away from Mousefur, giving her time to escape. Mousefur scrambled to her feet, clutching a bloody gash on her shoulder and ran as fast as she could.

Tigerclaw snarled with rage as a RiverClan knife sliced through the bridge of his nose. His eyes went black for a moment, but he threw himself forward regardless and stabbed an enemy warrior in the leg. The man he had wounded shrieked.

"Tigerclaw!" Tigerclaw heard his deputy, Redtail, a short redheaded man, call his name. "This is useless! There are too many RiverClan warriors!" Tigerclaw was determined. This was one battle he would not lose. "No, Redtail. ThunderClan will never be beaten!" He yelled back, running to Redtail's side. "This is our land!" The blood around his nose kept flowing and as he shook his head, scarlet drops stained the rocks around him.

"ThunderClan will honour your courage, Tigerclaw but we cannot afford to lose any more warriors." Redtail argued calmly. "We cannot fight against these impossible odds. We will have another chance to avenge this defeat." He met Tigerclaw's brown-eyed gaze steadily and climbed onto a boulder, yelling. "ThunderClan! Retreat!" The ThunderClan warriors stumbled away from their opponents, rushing to meet their deputy. The RiverClan warriors appeared confused. Had ThunderClan really given up so easily? Oakheart yelled a cry of victory, which his clanmates joined in on. Redtail still stood on the boulder, staring down at his clan. He mounted his horse and led his clanmates back to their village.

Tigerclaw followed last. He stood hesitantly at the edge of the battlefield, staring back at the RiverClan warriors. His face was grim, his eyes narrowed furiously.

Meanwhile, in an empty clearing an older woman stood. She had long black hair streaked with silver and powerful shoulders. She stared at the night sky. The only noise you could hear was the soft snoring of sleeping warriors. A short black-haired woman emerged from a building and stood next to her. The older woman dipped her head in acknowledgement. "How is Mousefur?" She asked. "Her wounds are deep, but she is young and strong. She'll heal quickly." The younger woman replied. A concerned look played upon the older woman's face. "And the others?" The younger woman smirked slightly. "They'll recover too."

Bluestar, the eldest woman, sighed. "We are lucky to have not lost anyone this time. You are a gifted doctor, Spottedleaf. I am deeply troubled by tonight's defeat. ThunderClan has not been beaten in our own land since I became leader." Bluestar hung her head, unsure of what to do. "These are difficult times for us. Spring is late and fewer children have been born. We need more warriors if we are to survive."

"But the year is only just beginning," Spottedleaf pointed out, touching Bluestar's shoulder reassuringly. "There'll be more children when spring comes." Bluestar pulled away. "Perhaps. But training new warriors takes time. ThunderClan needs more warriors now."

Bluestar gazed at the night sky and sighed again. "Are you asking the Gods for answers?" Spottedleaf asked, shuffling closer to her leader. She stared at the stars filling the night sky. "At times like these we need guidance. Have the Gods spoken to you?"

Spottedleaf shrugged. "Not for many months, Bluestar." Suddenly, a shooting star soared through the calm sky. Spottedleaf's eyes widened and her whole body became stiff. Bluestar was surprised at first but calmed down the moment she remembered what was happening. After about a minute, Spottedleaf lowered her head and turned to look at Bluestar.

"I got a message from the Gods," She stared straight into her leader's blue eyes. "Fire alone will save our Clan."

"Fire?" Bluestar scoffed. "But fire is feared by all the Clans! How will it save us?"

"I don't know, but this is the message that the Gods have shared with me today." Spottedleaf's gaze was still distant, as if she weren't really there. Bluestar turned to her Clan's doctor. "You have never been wrong before. If the Gods have spoken, then it must be true. Fire will save our Clan."


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N: Sorry this took so long, I've been really busy lately and didn't have much time to write. :( But the next part will definitely be here soon!**

 **PepperWho: I love this story and its a amazing idea, but how old are they when the become apprentices, because 1 moon can equal a month, because thunderclan wouldn't train toddlers for war at 6 months old, but it can be 1 moon equals one year, because sandstorm is over 400 moons old after Bramblestar's storm.**

 **This is something I was actually thinking about, lol. They become apprentices when they turn 13, warriors when they are 20 and elders when they are 50. Let me know if you have any other questions!  
**  
Everything was pitch-black yet Rusty could sense something was near. The young boy had ventured out into the woods out of curiosity, having heard stories about four kingdoms hidden among the dense trees. Rusty's bright green eyes widened as he surveyed his surroundings. This place was unfamiliar and although he could barely see, something urged him forward. He stomach growled, reminding him of his hunger. He breathed in the sweet smells of pine and freshly-fallen rain.

Suddenly, Rusty spotted a deer nuzzling the ground. Rusty froze and crouched down, watching the doe silently eat. Rusty swallowed and excitedly lay flat on the ground, preparing to make a kill. Soon his hunger would be satisfied.

He was downwind of the deer; it would not detect him. Rusty couldn't wait any longer; he lunged forward, kicking up leaves on the forest floor as he advanced on his prey. The doe tried to escape but Rusty had grabbed the animal around the neck, attempting to get it on the ground. Suddenly, Rusty heard a sharp noise like a branch being stepped on. The noise served as a distraction and Rusty loosened his grip on the terrified doe. She dashed away farther into the forest.

Angrily Rusty gave up. Rusty spun around to search for what made him lose his prey. He opened his eyes.

He was no longer in the forest, instead, he was lying on the hard cobblestone streets of Chelford. He squinted at the forest in the distance, the blazing sun making it difficult for him to see. He saw his loaf of bread in a basket near his bare feet. It had all been a dream.

Lifting his head, he sat down on the curb, his face between his hands. He touched his forehead; he was sweating in the heat. In his dream, there had been a cool wind. Rusty desperately wanted the wind to be there now. It was the third time since the full moon he'd had that very dream and each time the deer managed to escape.

He licked his lips. He lifted the stale loaf of bread and bit into it. It was rock-hard and dry but it was better than nothing. The disgusting taste of the old bread chased away the sweet memories of his dream and replaced them with harsh reality. He finished only half of the bread before reaching for his bow and arrow and walking toward the gates to the forest. He climbed to the top of the stone posts on either side of the gate and finished his meal. This was a favourite spot of his as he could see the entirety of Chelford and the mysterious forest that lay beyond the gates.

He watched the woods curiously. Despite the glaring sunlight, the forest was bathed in shadows. Suddenly, he got the strange feeling that he was being watched. Was something out there? Rusty stared ahead but he was unable to see anything in the dark undergrowth. He lifted his chin up boldly and readjusted his position on the post. Closing his eyes, he breathed in the scent of the forest once more. It seemed to promise him something, tempting him onward into the whispering shadows. Tensing his muscles, he prepared himself to jump down into the forest, leaving the city behind forever. He stopped when he heard a familiar voice.

"Where are you off to, Rusty?"

Rusty turned around. His friend was standing below him. "Hello, Smudge," he replied, jumping down from the post. "You're not going into the woods, are you?" Smudge's chocolate brown eyes were huge. "Just for a look," Rusty said and immediately wished he hadn't. "You wouldn't get me in there! It's dangerous!" Smudge wrinkled his nose in disgust. "Henry said he went into the woods once." Smudge gestured to a small home nearby where Henry lived.

"That fat old man's never been to the woods!" Rusty scoffed. "I bet he hasn't even left his own home for years! All he wants to do is eat and sleep."

"No, really! He caught a squirrel in there!" Smudge insisted.

"Well, if he did it was years ago."

"Well, anyway," Smudge rambled on, ignoring the scorn in Rusty's voice. "Henry told me about the dangerous clans out there! Huge men who eat deer for breakfast and sharpen their spears on old bones!"

"I'm only going for a look around," Rusty sighed. "I won't stay long."

"Don't say I didn't warn you!" Laughed Smudge, walking away.

Rusty hoisted himself back up to the post, wondering how much of Smudge's gossip was true. Suddenly, the movement of a tiny creature caught his eye. A squirrel! He watched it scuffle around the forest floor and Rusty prepared himself to catch it. Imagine how impressed the other people in his town would be, especially Smudge. He dropped down, crawling on the soft ground. He slowly moved toward the tiny animal and watched it intently. He could see it clearly now. He stood up into a squat slowly and raised his bow, carefully putting the arrow into place. This was even better than his dreams! Then, a sudden noise of cracking leaves and twigs made him jump. His prey scurried away, unharmed.

Rusty stood up completely now. He made no sounds as he readied his bow. His fear disappeared when he spotted another squirrel. This one would not get away! He heard another noise, muted and distant. _Footsteps?_ He wondered, but kept his eyes on the squirrel ahead of him. He was so close to catching prey for real! He heard the noise again, this time very close, and realized he was in danger.

The creature hit him like an explosion and Rusty was thrown sideways into a clump of nettles. Screaming, he tried to throw his attacker off but he was no match for his assilant. The other person was incredibly strong while Rusty had never fought another human before. He writhed and squirmed with all his might but could not get free. For a second, he felt helpless but then froze. Thinking fast, he flipped onto his back. Leaving his stomach exposed would be a bad idea but it was his only chance for escape.

Luckily, his ploy seemed to work. He heard a grunt from behind him as his attacker's breath was knocked out. Rusty managed to wriggle free and began to run toward Chelford, desperately trying to escape the forest. He heard the heavy footsteps gaining on him and he realized he could not outrun this person. He turned and prepared to fight.

Skidding to a stop, he spun around and faced his attacker.

It was a young boy who appeared to be around Rusty's age. He had shaggy black hair, a broad face and strong legs. Then the young boy crashed into Rusty at full power. Taken by surprise by Rusty's turnabout, he fell back into a dazed heap.

The impact knocked the breath out of Rusty and he staggered. Quickly, he found his footing and prepared himself to fight once more. His attacker simply stood up, all signs of aggression gone.

Rusty strangely felt disappointed. Every part of him was tense, ready for battle.

"Hi there!" His attacker said cheerily. "You put up quite a fight for an outsider!"

Rusty remained on tiptoe for a second, wondering whether or not to attack anyway. Then he remembered the strength he had felt in his attacker and dropped down. "And I'll fight you again if I have to," he growled.

"I'm Graypaw, by the way," the young boy went on, ignoring Rusty's threat. "I'm training to be a ThunderClan Warrior."

Rusty didn't understand what this Graywhatsit what talking about but he knew the threat was gone.

"What are you doing out in the woods? Don't you know it's dangerous?" Graypaw asked.

"If you're the most dangerous thing the forest has to offer, I think I can handle it." Rusty bluffed.

Graypaw narrowed his hazel eyes at Rusty. "Oh, I'm far from the most dangerous. If I were even half a warrior, I'd have given an intruder like you some real wounds to think about."

Rusty felt a thrill of fear at Graypaw's ominous words. What did he mean by intruder?

"Anyway," continued Graypaw, changing the subject. "I didn't think it was worth hurting you. You're obviously not from one of the other Clans."

"Other Clans?" Rusty echoed, confused.

Graypaw's face twisted in disbelief. "Surely you've heard of the other Clans! I belong to ThunderClan; the other Clans are always trying to steal our prey, especially ShadowClan! They're so fierce, they'd have ripped you to shreds, no questions asked.

Graypaw paused to spit on the ground in fury then continued. "They come to take prey that is rightfully ours. It's the job of the ThunderClan warriors to keep them out of our territory! When I'm finished my training, I'll be so dangerous all the other Clans will fear me! They won't dare come near us then!"

Rusty narrowed his eyes. This must be one of the warriors Smudge had warned him about! Living rough in the woods, hunting and fighting each other for every last scrap of food. Yet Rusty felt no fear in this young boy's presence. He couldn't help but admire the young warrior's confidence. "So you're not a warrior yet?" he asked.

"Why? Did you think I was?" Graypaw responded proudly. "I won't be a real warrior for ages. I have to go through training first. Children have to be 13 years old before they can even begin training! Tonight's my first night as an apprentice."

"Why do you live out here? Why not move to the town and buy food instead of hunting for prey out here?" Rusty asked. "I can't imagine how boring life would be! You people must do the same things everyday! That's no life! Out here it's wild and free and we come as we please." He finished his speech with a proud spit then added mischeviously, "Until you've tasted fresh-kill, you haven't lived. Have you had fresh-kill before?"

"No," Rusty admitted defensively. "Not yet."

"I guess you'll never understand." Graypaw sighed. "You weren't born wild. It makes a big difference. You need to be born with warrior blood in your veins, or the feel of the wind in your hair. People born in the city could never feel the same way."

Rusty remembered the way he had felt in his dream. "That's not true!" He replied indignantly.

Graypaw did not reply. He suddenly stiffened, one hand raised and looked behind him. "I hear people from my Clan," he whispered. "You should go. They won't be pleased to find you in our territory!"

Rusty looked around, wondering how Graypaw knew anyone was approaching. He couldn't see, hear or smell anything different in atmosphere but his hair stood on end at the note of urgency in Graypaw's voice.

"Quick!" whispered Graypaw. "Run!"

Rusty prepared to spring into the bushes, not knowing which way was safe to jump.

He was too late. A voice called out behind him, firm and menacing. "What's going on here?"

Rusty turned to see a tall middle-aged woman advancing toward him and Graypaw. White hairs streaked her hair and an ugly scar was situated on her left shoulder but her shoulder-length black hair shone silver in the light.

"Bluestar!" Beside Rusty, Graypaw bowed down and narrowed his hazel eyes. He crouched even lower when another man; a tall, handsome, blonde followed Bluestar into the clearing.

"You shouldn't be so near Chelford, Graypaw!" Snabbed the man angrily, his green eyes narrowed.

"I know, Lionheart. I'm sorry." Graypaw stared at his feet in guilt.

Rusty copied Graypaw and bowed at the sight of these powerful people. His body shook nervously. These two people had an air of strength he had never seen in anyone in Chelford. Maybe what Smudge had warned him about was true.

"Who is this?" Asked Bluestar.

Rusty flinched as she turned her eyes toward him. Her piercing blue eyes made him feel even more vunerable.

"He's no threat," said Graypaw quickly. "He's not another Clan warrior, just another person from the town beyond our territories."

 _Just another person!_ The words infuriated Rusty, but he held his tongue. The warning look in Bluestar's stare told him that she had seen the anger in his eyes and he looked away quickly.

"This is Bluestar; she's leader of my Clan!" Graypaw whispered to Rusty. "And Lionheart. He's my mentor. That means he's training me to become a warrior."

"Thank you for the introduction, Graypaw." Said Lionheart coolly.

Bluestar was still staring at Rusty. "You fight well for an outsider."

Rusty and Graypaw both exchanged confused looks. How could she know?

"We've been watching you both." Bluestar went on, as if she had read their minds. "We wondered how you would deal with an intruder, Graypaw. You attacked him bravely."

Graypaw appeared pleased with Bluestar's praise.

"Sit up now, both of you!" Bluestar looked at Rusty. "You too," He sat up immediately and held Bluestar's gaze evenly as she spoke to them.

"You reacted well to the attack. Graypaw is stronger than you, but you used your wits to defend yourself. And you turned to face him when he chased you. I've not seen someone from Chelford do that before."

Rusty nodded his thanks, surprised by such praise. Her next words were even more surprising.

"I've been wondering how you would perform out here, beyond Chelford. We patrol this area frequently, so I have often seen you sitting on the post, gazing out into the forest. And now, at last, you have dared to place your feet here." Bluestar stared at Rusty thoughtfully. "You do seem to have a natural hunting ability. Sharp eyes. You could have caught that squirrel if you had not wited so long."

"R-really?" Rusty stammered.

Lionheart spoke up. His deep tone was respectful yet insistent. "Bluestar, this is an outsider. He should not be hunting in ThunderClan land. Send him home to Chelford!"

Rusty shivered at Lionheart's words. "Send me home?"

Bluestar's words had made him glow with pride. She had noticed him; she had been impressed by him! "But I've only come here to hunt for a squirrel or two. I'm sure there's enough for everyone."

Bluestar had turned her head to acknowledge Lionheart's words. Now her stare panned back to Rusty, her blue eyes blazing with anger. "There's never enough to go around! If you didn't always have food at your fingertips, you would know that!"

He was confused by Bluestar's sudden anger, but one glance at the terrified look on Graypaw's face was enough to shut him up. Lionheart stepped to Bluestar's side. Both warriors loomed over him. Rusty looked into the ThunderClan leader's threatening stare and his pride disappeared. These were not the friendly, peaceful people of Chelford he was dealing with - these were mean, hungry people who were probably going to finish what Graypaw had started.


	3. Chapter 2

"Well?" spat Bluestar, her face only inches from his. Lionheart remained quiet as he towered over Rusty.

He crouched slightly under the older man's cold stare. The hair on his arms stood up uncomfortably. "I am no threat to your Clan," he said, staring at his trembling legs.

"You threaten our Clan when you take our food!" Yelled Bluestar. "You have plenty of food in your town already! You come here to hunt for sport. We hunt to survive."

The truth of Bluestar's words pierced Rusty like a thorn, and suddenly he understood her anger. He stopped trembling, straightened his body and raised his eyes to meet hers. "I hadn't thought of it that way before. I am sorry," he said solemnly. "I will not hunt here again."

Bluestar let her shoulders fall and signaled to Lionheart to step back. "You are unusual, Rusty," she said.

He heard the approval in Bluestar's voice and noticed as she swapped a meaningful glance with Lionheart. The look made him curious. What flashed between the two warriors?

Quietly he asked, "Is survival here really so hard?"

"Our territory covers only part of the forest," answered Bluestar. "We compete with other Clans for what we have. And this year, late spring means that pray is scarce."

"Is your Clan very big?" Rusty asked, his eyes wide.

"Big enough," replied Bluestar. "Our land can support us, but there is no food left over."

"Are you all warriors, then?" Rusty asked. Bluestar's guarded answers were just making him more and more curious.

Lionheart answered him. "Some are warriors. Some are too young or too old or too busy caring for children."

"And you all live and share food together?" Rusty murmured in awe, thinking a little guiltily of his own easy life.

Bluestar looked again at Lionheart. He stared back at her steadily. At last she returned her gaze to Rusty and said, "Perhaps you should find out these things for yourself. Would you like to join ThunderClan?"

Rusty was so surprised, he couldn't speak.

Bluestar continued, "If you did, you would train with Graypaw to become a warrior."

"But townspeople can't be warriors!" Graypaw blurted out. "They don't have warrior blood!"

A sad look clouded Bluestar's eyes. "Warrior blood," she echoed with a sigh. "Too much of that has been spilled lately."

Bluestar fell silent and Lionheart spoke. "Bluestar is only offering you training. There is no guarantee you would become a full warrior. It might prove too difficult for you. After all, you are used to a comfortable life."

Rusty was stung by Lionheart's words. He swung his head around to face him. "Why offer me the chance, then?"

But it was Bluestar who answered. "You are right to question our motives, young one. The fact is, ThunderClan needs more warriors."

"Understand that Bluestar does not make this offer lightly." warned Lionheart. "If you wish to train with us, we will have to take you into our Clan. You must either life with us and respect our ways or return to Chelford and never come back. You cannot have a foot in each world."

A cool breeze stirred the air, ruffling Rusty's hair. He shivered, not with the cold, but with excitement at the incredible possibilties opening up in front of him.

"Are you wondering if it's worth giving up your comfortable city life?" asked Bluestar gently. "But do you realize the price you will pay for your warmth and food?"

Rusty looked at her, puzzled. Surely, his encounter with these people had proved to him just how easy and luxurious his own life was.

"We will not be able to offer you easy food or warmth," continued Bluestar. "In the season of winter, nights in the forest can be cruel. The Clan will demand great loyalty and hard work. You will be expected to protect the Clan with your life if necessary. And there are many people to feed. But the rewards are great. You will be trained in the ways of the wild. You will learn what it is to be a real man. The strength and the fellowship of the Clan will always be with you, even when you are alone."

Bluestar seemed to be offering him the life he had dreamed of so many times, but could he live like that for real?

Lionheart interrupted his thoughts. "Come, Bluestar, let's not waste any more time here. We must be ready to join the other patrol tonight. Tigerclaw will wonder what has become of us."

"Wait," Rusty called out. "Can I think about your offer?"

Bluestar looked at him for a long moment and nodded. "Lionheart will be here tomorrow at sunrise," she told him. "Give him your answer then."

Bluestar murmured a low signal, and in a single movement the three people turned and disappeared in to the depths of the forest.

Rusty blinked. He stared - excited, uncertain - up past the ferns that encircled him, through the canopy of leaves, to the stars that glittered in the clear sky. And as Rusty turned and headed for home, he felt a strange sensation inside him, tugging him back into the light wind, and the rustling leaves seemed to whisper his name into the shadows.


End file.
